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cleared up until the tragic close of the play. The r , 



youtli been the lover of Zenobia, and Maeonius was the illicit offspring of their attach- 

 ment. To free herself from the persecution of an unworthy seducer, Zenobia had 

 confessed her guilt to Denathus, and by his advice had made Paulus suppose that their 

 infant child was dead, while in fact Denathus generously adopted it, under the name of 

 Ma.'onius, as his own heir. Ignorant of the circumstances of his birth and education, 

 the supposed foundling is brought up in an equivocal position, and without any of the 

 ties which spring from recognised natural affection. Zenobia is anxious to conceal 

 from every eye, even from Majonius himself, her maternal love. Denathus is conscious 

 of his heroic generosity towards the son of a wicked rival, and expects from Mpeonius 

 a constant gratitude and submission, which the youth knows no true reason for 

 according him. To render the complication still more complete, Zenobia and Longinus 

 liave really fallen in love witli each other, and are only restrained by their Christian 

 piety from avowing a mutual passion, which their words and looks unconsciously betray 

 to the courtiers and servants around them. The heart of Majonius is divided between 

 impatience and anger against Longinus and love for Viola, the fair daughter of the 

 learned man. The ruined and disgraced Paulus, abhorring Christianity and Christians 

 with all the concentrated fury of a traitor and an apostate, becomes the evil genius of 

 Palmyra. 



"The denouement is brought about by the sudden love which the unchanging beauty 

 of Zenobia excites in the breast of the victorious Aurelian. But we must in fairness 

 leave our readers to discover from the work of the poet himself the masterly details of 

 this tragedy and its end. It is marked throughout, but especially in the last act, by 

 passages of singular beauty and power ; and while the framework of the drama reminds 

 us frequently of ' Hamlet,' the diction and imagery are those of a true poet, who might 

 almost, if he had lived at the same epoch, have been deemed not unworthy to contend 

 with Shakspeare himself." — Tablet. 



"With no great faith in current ability to produce a readable tragedy in blank verse, 

 we confess to taking up ' Zenobia ' with some misgivings. We are therefore the more 

 pleased to speak in'its favour, and to regard it as possessing something niore than the 

 negative order of merit, and as being in many respects a superior composition. There 

 are occasional flashes of eloquence that, if not rivalling Shakspeare, are very Shak- 

 spearian in their mode, and do the author infinite credit. The following extract will 

 give our readers an estimate of the literary merit of this work, though it should be read 

 "in its entirety to do it justice : — 



" Mcco?i. Thou hast spoken well. 



But that thy strain demands too high a pitch 



For common mortals, and for present need. 



"Long. Because full liberty not yet hath dawn'd. 



Trust me, Ma'onius, there shall come a time 



When kings shall haste to hear their subjects speak, 



Not timid nor compelled, but weighing well 



The arguments of all, or high or low ; — 



High wisdom oft in lowly forms is found :— 



When subjects shall confess their monarch's sway, 



Equal themselves to monarchs — chief in this 



That they may vent the overgathering mind. 



Nor dam remonstrance to Rebellion's height ; 



When the whole people shall the people rule, 



And the nice framework be so interknit. 



One heart shall beat, one common pulse shall throb. 



No head so high, the law may not control ; 



No state so low, the law shall not defend." — Examiner. 



"We hope it is Mr. Bellew's intention when in London to read from the works of 

 comparatively unknown authors, as by so doing he may bring to light some hidden 

 star. For instance, in the course of the evening Mr. Bellew gave selections from 

 a tragedy by Mr. W. Marsh am Adams, called ' Zenobia ; or, The Fall of Palmyra." 

 Mr. Adams is a scholar, and was at one time Fellow of New College, Oxford. His 

 work is polished, and the versification excellent." — E7-a. 



"The plot is ingenious and interesting. We have no hesitation in affirming that we 

 have often seen a poetical drama of fewer merits on the stage." — Athenccum. 



"A drama of great interest." — Morning Post. 



"The attraction of the evening (at Mr. Bellew's reading) was a scene from 

 Mr. W. Marsham Adams' new tragedy of ' Zenobia ; or, The Fall of Palmyra." — 

 Standard. 



" ' Zenobia' is a real, living work." — European Mail. 



"The spirit of Mr. Adams' tragedy is highly classical. The Fall of Palmyra is 

 a fit subject, and it is here spiritedly dealt with by one who has all the scholarly 

 qualifications, and no inconsiderable dramatic power. There are many passages of 

 ^rOlOlf^ft'Besiillfy, and the interest is never permitted to flag." — Westminster Nevieiu. 



SGrvices 

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